This week on the Islands Christian Church podcast, we hear from Luke Baham as he shares his very first sermon at Islands. Drawing from Matthew 16:24, Luke reminds us that following Jesus means denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, and choosing God’s will over our own—even in the small, everyday moments of life.

With personal stories from parenting, nursing, and daily perseverance, Luke shows how even ordinary tasks can become acts of worship when offered to God. And he points us to the truth that joy isn’t the absence of hardship, but the presence of God with us in the midst of it.

Listen in and be encouraged to carry your cross each day, trusting that the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Scripture: Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:23, Colossians 3:23, Hebrews 12:2

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Islands Christian Church is a casual, welcoming church in Savannah, Georgia, where everyone is invited to come as they are. Each Sunday includes modern worship, practical Bible teaching, and a safe, fun environment for kids to learn about Jesus. Whether you’ve been in church your whole life or you’re just beginning to ask questions about faith, you belong here.

Join us in person or online Sundays at 10 a.m. Learn more at islandschristian.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

This week on the Islands Christian Church Podcast, we continue our series Already & Not Yet. Pastor Stephen Saxton shares a message from Colossians 1:24–29, reminding us that Christ living in us is the true hope of glory and the anchor for our faith today.

📖 Scripture Reference: Colossians 1:24–29
🗒 Read the full transcript here: https://www.islandschristian.org/podcast/podcast-s3-e49-already-and-not-yet-ep-5

The Islands Podcast is a weekly teaching ministry of Islands Christian Church in Savannah, Georgia. Our mission is to connect people to Jesus and to each other in a welcoming, family-like atmosphere.

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🎧 About this episode:

• Series: Already & Not Yet

• Speaker: Pastor Stephen Saxton

• Message Title: Christ in You, the Hope of Glory

• Date: August 24, 2025

If today’s message encouraged you, please consider leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more people discover the hope of Jesus.

We’re grateful you’re listening, and we look forward to sharing another message with you next week!

In this week’s message, Pastor Stephen continues the Already & Not Yet series by exploring the Lord’s Prayer, specifically the phrase: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” What does the Kingdom of God really mean? When did it arrive, and how does it impact our lives today?

We learn that God’s kingdom is the range of His effective will—where what He desires is fully carried out without resistance. Jesus brought this kingdom near, making God’s reign accessible to us in a new and personal way. Though we live in a world still marked by brokenness and evil, God’s kingdom is already present wherever we surrender our lives to His rule.

This sermon unpacks three key truths: the definition of the kingdom, the arrival of the kingdom through Jesus, and the impact of the kingdom when we submit our “little kingdoms” to Him. Living under God’s reign transforms our ethics, our relationships, and our daily choices, allowing us to embody the hope of the gospel in an “already and not yet” world.

📖 Scripture: Matthew 6:9–13
🔑 Keywords: Faith, Hope, Redemption, Kingdom of God, Lord’s Prayer, Already and Not Yet, Christian Podcast, Sermon Podcast, Savannah GA Church, Gospel Teaching

✨ Islands Christian Church is located in Savannah, Georgia. We meet Sundays at 10 AM. You can join our live service broadcast every week on YouTube and Facebook.

In this message, Pastor Stephen unpacks the deep meaning of communion as more than a simple ritual—it’s a banquet that points both backward and forward in our faith. Looking back, we remember Christ’s sacrifice, His body broken and His blood poured out for our freedom. Looking forward, we anticipate the great banquet to come when Jesus returns to celebrate with His people. Along the way, we discover that communion also gives us everything we need right now—gratitude, humility, unity, and hope—as we wait for the ultimate feast in God’s kingdom.

📖 Scripture: Matthew 26:26–29
🔑 Keywords: Faith, Hope, Redemption, Communion, Lord’s Supper, Eucharist, Christian Podcast, Savannah GA Church, Sermon Podcast, Gospel Teaching, Banquet of the Lamb

✨ Islands Christian Church is located in Savannah, Georgia. We meet Sundays at 10 AM. You can join us live on YouTube and Facebook each week to worship and hear the message.

What does it mean to be redeemed—but not fully realize it yet? In this message from Islands Christian Church in Savannah, Georgia, we explore the powerful truth found in Ephesians 1:3–10. You already have redemption through Jesus Christ. You are holy and blameless in God’s eyes, even if you don’t feel like it. This sermon unpacks the tension of living in the "already and not yet" of the Christian life and invites you to walk in the truth of who you already are in Christ.

Join us each week as we grow in faith together. We meet every Sunday at 10 AM in Savannah, GA. You can worship with us live on YouTube or catch the full sermon here on the podcast anytime.

Already and Not Yet, Part 2: A Better World is Coming
Pastor Stephen Saxton | Romans 8:18–30 | Islands Christian Church

Description:
Why does the world feel so broken? Why do we instinctively know that things aren’t the way they’re supposed to be? In this episode, Pastor Stephen Saxton unpacks Romans 8:18–30 and the tension we all live in, the already and not yet of the gospel. Though we experience pain, loss, and suffering in this life, Scripture reminds us that a better world is coming.

Discover the biblical promise that all creation will be restored, our bodies will be redeemed, and God's Spirit is already at work in us as a guarantee of what’s to come. If you’ve ever struggled to make sense of the pain around you, or longed for something more, this message will give you hope for the future and encouragement for today.

Key themes:
Hope in suffering, the new creation, restoration, the Holy Spirit, Christian hope, heaven and earth, redemption, already and not yet

🎧 Listen now for a powerful reminder that the world’s brokenness is not the end of the story. Jesus is making all things new.

#Romans8 #ChristianPodcast #SermonPodcast #HopeInSuffering #NewCreation #Restoration #Faith #IslandsChristianChurch

What do you do when life knocks you off rhythm? In this message from Psalm 103, we’re reminded that worship isn’t just an emotion—it’s a declaration. David speaks truth to his soul, choosing to remember God's mercy, justice, and unfailing love.

This episode invites you to renew your mind, rest in God’s character, and let His grace move you again—no matter what season you're in.

Topics include:
• Speaking truth to your soul
• Trusting God's timing for justice
• Real strength and beauty in Christ
• Praising God in hard seasons

#Psalm103 #ChristianPodcast #FaithInHardTimes #WorshipInTheStorm #RenewYourMind #SpiritualGrowth #JesusIsFaithful #ChurchPodcast #BibleTeaching #PraiseGod #EncouragementForBelievers #ChristianLiving #IslandsChristianChurch

What does it really mean to love God with all your heart—and how does that love shape the way you treat others? In this message, Pastor Stephen unpacks Jesus’s command in Matthew 22 and reminds us that true love begins with devotion to God. Only when our love for Him is first can we truly love our neighbors in a meaningful, selfless way. From personal stories to powerful theology, this sermon explores how God defines love, how He modeled it through Jesus, and how we’re called to reflect it in our everyday lives.

The Islands Christian podcast is a production of Islands Christian Church, which meets in Savannah, GA.

This message from Pastor Stephen launches a powerful two-week sermon series on The Greatest Command from Matthew 22:37–40. Discover how Jesus' call to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind can bring unity to the fragmented areas of life. If you’ve ever struggled to balance faith, family, work, and personal identity, this teaching offers biblical truth and practical steps to live with greater integrity and purpose. Tune in for encouragement, spiritual growth, and a deeper understanding of what it means to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.

The Islands Christian podcast is a production of Islands Christian Church, which meets in Savannah, GA.

This week, guest speaker Ernie Banks walks us through Romans 12 and what it really means to live in light of God’s mercy. When we truly understand what God has done for us, it changes everything—our mindset, our worship, our relationships, and our purpose.

Ernie challenges us to stop conforming to the patterns around us and start living with a renewed mind. From sincere love to using our unique gifts, Romans 12 gives us a picture of what a transformed life actually looks like.

Whether you’re exploring faith or looking for clarity in how to live it out, this message is full of honest, practical wisdom rooted in truth.